ring go from her own two fingers for one minute.

"Ain't she stingy with her old ring?" said Sarah Allen to Rosy
Stebbins.

"Maybe it ain't real gold," whispered Rosy; but Comfort heard her.

"'Tis, too," said she, stoutly.

"It's brass; I can tell by the color," teased one of the big boys.
"'Fore I'd wear a brass ring if I was a girl!"

"It ain't brass," almost sobbed Comfort.

Miss Tabitha Hanks arose slowly and came over to the stove. She came
so silently and secretly that the scholars did not notice it, and
they all jumped when she spoke.

"You may all take your seats," said she, "if it is a little before
nine. You can study until school begins. I can't have so much noise
and confusion."

The scholars flocked discontentedly to their seats.

"It's all the fault of your old brass ring," whispered the big boy to
Comfort, with a malicious grin, and she trembled.

"Your mother let you wear it, didn't she?" whispered Matilda to
Comfort, as the two took their seats on the bench. But Comfort did
not seem to hear her, and Miss Tabitha looked that way, and Matilda